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Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

Oher matches up better with speed rushers than bullrushers anyway. McKinnie is the other way round. KO concerns me being a rookie, he looked a little out of depth at times against Chris Long, but I am confident that they will be adequate enough to do a job, don't expect them to look as good as they did the other night in this one though.

Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

We'll see how KO and Harewood come along, but I like the inexpensive way this unit has come together. And what I REALLY like is that it should be relatively inexpensive to keep them together (save Birk) through the 2015-2016 timeframe.

LT: Oher - Rookie contract through 2013 (figure $10-11M or so to franchise, $12-14M if has two improbable, unlikely PB years and demands Joe Thomas money ($84M over 7 yrs))

LG: Harewood - RFA going into 2013

C: Birk - Gone, but Gino is cheap (that cat has to bulk up big time though, or we may go FA here)

Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

Originally Posted by Lee Van Cleef

You're right, Rice picked up the LB, Howard who was coming off the edge, it just happened that he got pushed into the path of Pacman who was blitzing in from the same side. Rice was outnumbered, Oher stuck with Johnson who stunted inside leaving Birk watching Atkins (who didn't rush), and Harewood having time to go order takeout.

I thought Rice was awesome on that play, to me he was battling two guys at once and lost. Can't complain about Rice's effort, he took them both on ,but lost the battle. Not every play will go as planned for Flacco and the OL, it's football as usual. That is why the game was so impressive to me. bengal defense has always been tough on the Ravens and Monday night was typical of the bengal defense. Ravens did great against a good defensive team that will handle many other NFL teams this year.

Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

Originally Posted by BigPlayReceiver

We'll see how KO and Harewood come along, but I like the inexpensive way this unit has come together. And what I REALLY like is that it should be relatively inexpensive to keep them together (save Birk) through the 2015-2016 timeframe.

LT: Oher - Rookie contract through 2013 (figure $10-11M or so to franchise, $12-14M if has two improbable, unlikely PB years and demands Joe Thomas money ($84M over 7 yrs))

LG: Harewood - RFA going into 2013

C: Birk - Gone, but Gino is cheap (that cat has to bulk up big time though, or we may go FA here)

Oher is the key to this OL. If he can be a legit LT, then that frees Ozzie up to address the pass rush in the draft next year. Birk will be gone after this season, and who knows if Harewood is the real deal. But Centers/OGs are not that tough to find in the draft. The Ravens can address those positions in rounds 2-4 if Harewood and Gino don't pan out they way they want. The Ravens are going to be good for awhile if they don't have to package a bunch of picks to trade up for a LT.

Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

If Oher proves to be a legit LT, he doesn't have to be great or anything, just good, and if Harewood carries on playing well at LG, this line could be set for years, and could develope into one of the best units in the league. Yanda is an all pro, and KO has Yanda like potential at RT to be that good too. I have question marks at center, but if Gino gets bigger for next year, we shouldn't have a problem.

Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Oher matches up better with speed rushers than bullrushers anyway. McKinnie is the other way round. KO concerns me being a rookie, he looked a little out of depth at times against Chris Long, but I am confident that they will be adequate enough to do a job, don't expect them to look as good as they did the other night in this one though.

I see it the exact opposite Their frame and footwork may lead you to think otherwise, but it's all in the use of hands.

Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

Originally Posted by jonboy79

I see it the exact opposite Their frame and footwork may lead you to think otherwise, but it's all in the use of hands.

And reaction.

An OT has to be very quick when it comes to reacting to a pass rusher. Studying their moves and tendancies are paramount. Some of the best LT's to ever play the game would sit and study the best pass rushers for hours learning their moves, what they went to the most, etc.

Quick feet, quick hands, strength, and size are all absolutely important, but the most important attribute is knowledge and being able to react to that knowledge while on the field.

Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

I just want to see Oher hold his ground better in pass protection. He gives way too much ground and can get pushed back into the QB, thus collapsing the pocket. If he can correct that aspect of his game, he could be a very good LT.

Re: So, any OL doubters turning into believers now?

Originally Posted by jonboy79

I see it the exact opposite Their frame and footwork may lead you to think otherwise, but it's all in the use of hands.

Idk, whenever I watch Oher on tape, as dirt1 stated, he gives too much ground to the bigger pass rushers, but seems to handle speed rushers fairly well at times, given his athleticism. McKinnie can pancake you all day when he actually tries (See Pittsburgh game, where McKinnie physically dominated James Harrison last year in week 1, shoving him on the ground with ease.).

Oher is much better as a run blocker than pass blocker too, he gets off the line identically to how a guard does, he blocks like a guard in run blocking too. If Oher can just fix some areas of his game, mentally, in pass protection, I can see a top 10 LT in the league. So far so good. I wouldn't rule out a down game against Philly this week though, given who he is coming up against.